Unwind
by arabesque no 1
Summary: AU. It's like passing from channel to channel, stream to stream. Something isn't right in this world. Reality is too easily manipulated. How does one fight against time and space? / / Multichap. A conglomeration of genres and universes. Sasuhina and other pairings.
1. Cycle I

**A/N: **An action/mystery/romance/drama fic to scratch my sasuhina itch. Will be multichapter. Sasuke comes out next chapter.

In this world, there are no ninjas, and an individual's value is not placed entirely on how well you fight. That has changed some character personalities and relationships.

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle I**

* * *

**Ω**

Hinata knows something isn't right when Neji turns to her one evening, during one of their scheduled walks, and nonchalantly makes a non sequitur from Hanabi's latest tantrum about her haircut to the pomegranates that are currently in season. There's a slight tremor to his voice that is entirely uncharacteristic of him, and his steps are somewhat brisker than usual. When she turns to give him a questioning look, he has a steely look in his eye that prevents her from voicing her concerns.

_There are no pomegranates anywhere in this land,_ she wants to say. But Neji looks almost frightened and Hinata trusts her cousin enough not to question his sanity, so she keeps quiet and lets him finish his rant.

"The problem with pomegranates," Neji says, "is that they're susceptible to rotting and pests. Mold too. Last spring's severe cold snap killed many acres of pomegranate trees out by the Wave country. You understand?"

Hinata doesn't, but she plays along.

"Of course," she replies. "Mother was talking about this earlier as well. She's worried because Hanabi gets cranky without pomegranate tarts. She loves them so much."

Neji looks relieved. He continues, "How about we take a detour and see how they're doing?"

Hinata is utterly perplexed. "That's fine with me. But it's been a while since I've seen any pomegranate trees. Could you lead the way?"

The Hyuuga male forces a laugh. "You really haven't seen any? They're everywhere! If you go to the center of the market square, you'll see."

Neji grips her elbow loose enough to look amicable but tight enough to be a warning as they walk to the more crowded districts in town. Though Hinata is only twelve and her cousin thirteen, they have witnessed enough Hyuuga disputes to speak and understand meanings beyond the spoken word.

When they get to the square, Hinata sees that Neji is right. There are pomegranate trees everywhere – behind fences, between buildings, along the streets. They blend in well with the cherry blossoms and the oaks.

"You were right," Hinata breathes wonderingly. She frowns. One of her few prides is that of being a good observer. Even though she is quiet and timid, she notices things that most people usually don't. She's been to the square dozens of times before. She wouldn't ever have missed the pomegranates, no matter how seamlessly they blended into the night scene.

"Silly Hinata," says Neji, but his meaningful glance belies his scolding tone. "Like your father tells you, you ought to be more vigilant."

Her father has never expressed this to her in that way before, but Hinata nods dutifully. "I know. I'll try."

Something's not right here, Hinata thinks, but their mysterious discussion is done for the night, and they finish the walk in contemplative silence.

* * *

**Ω**

The day Hinata's name is drawn from the veil, her father pales, her mother weeps, and Hanabi throws another tantrum. Hinata presses the seven year old's wailing face to her shoulder in a futile effort to calm her. Hanabi cries and screams and fists Hinata's best dress until it's practically ruined – not that Hinata cares much at the moment. She's surprised too, but it doesn't hit her that she's been chosen as this year's sacrifice until that night's walk with Neji.

"I guess not even the Hyuugas can do something about violent, meaningless rituals," Neji murmurs.

Hinata looks around to make sure that he wasn't heard. "Please be careful when you say that out loud, Neji. You know how some villagers feel about their faith."

"I'm sorry," says Neji with an unapologetic shrug. Hinata looks at her slippers as she walks. She usually enjoys the warm summer breeze and the noisy cicadas, but for a moment, all of it feels pointless. She's barely lived at all. She won't be able to see Hanabi all grown-up or Kurenai-sensei's baby or Neji maybe awkwardly trying to woo Tenten.

"I'm going to miss our walks," she says, voice thick.

Neji stops. She stops too.

"Don't cry, Hinata," says Neji, but that makes Hinata cry harder.

"I – I didn't really understand until now."

Neji wraps his arms around her. He whispers in her ear, "I am going to pretend to comfort you."

Hinata startles a little, but she covers it up by feigning hiccups.

"Do you remember a few months ago when I told you to notice the pomegranates?" he asks quietly. Hinata nods.

"Whatever happens, until the end, you have to promise me you'll never stop searching."

"H – how is that relev—"

"Sometimes, there are shadows where objects don't exist. Other times, there are objects with no shadows. Do you understand?"

Hinata's head whirls.

"I – I—"

"The end is not the real end. Even the end of the end is not the real end. Look around carefully. You'll do that for me. Right?"

"I – I'll try."

Neji pulls away and ruffles her hair. His voice is at a normal volume again. "You still have a few months left. Stay strong, Hinata."

"Thank you, Neji," says Hinata, sniffling. "I feel a little better now."

Truthfully, she has no idea what's going on. All she knows is that Neji is trying to tell her something secret and important. Does he mean that she won't really die? That maybe there really is an afterlife? Or maybe the elders only pretend to make sacrifices and send the actual bodies alive outside of the country?

Whatever it is, she returns home with a tiny seed of hope in her heart.

* * *

**Ω**

Despite Hanabi's occasional tantrum, she is often praised for being a genius like her cousin Neji. Hinata is proud of her and spoils her when Father and Mother try to discipline her. Sometimes, when the expectations get too high, Hanabi seeks her sister's presence and lets Hinata brush her hair or massage her shoulders. Though Hanabi doesn't show it, she is extremely thankful for her sister for softening the Hyuuga estate in a way not even Mother can do.

So naturally, when Hinata's name is drawn from the veil, Hanabi throws a tantrum. And when she's finished raging, she seeks a solution. She knows Father has tried pleading with the council, and to no avail. She knows Mother has tried petitioning the village to stop the rituals, though the strongest of the faithful shut down the petition immediately.

There has to be something else she can do. Hanabi thinks and thinks, paces her room every night after her lessons are over, pores over tribunals and historical records in the library, and eventually, she notices a few inconsistencies.

There were three years in the past when the village didn't perform any rituals. Once eighty-three years ago, the second fifty-six years ago, and the third twelve years ago. There were no clear reasons why – all the archives mentioned were vague circumstances in which the gods had sent a sign that no rituals were necessary. A certain pattern in the crops, a mysterious disappearance of a herd of sheep, that kind of thing.

What if, Hanabi thinks, what if they could forge a sign? Pretend that the gods, if they exist, are happy enough and Hinata won't have to be sacrificed?

Hanabi is deliriously excited and brings it up that night at dinner.

Father and Mother exchange troubled looks.

"I'm afraid that won't work anymore, sweetie," Mother tries to break it to her gently.

Hanabi scowls. "Why not?"

"Bring us the records first," says Father bitterly. "Then, we'll talk."

The next day, when Hanabi tries to make some copies, she can't find the right tribunals anymore. She returns home glumly and tries again, "Shouldn't it still work, even if there's no evidence anymore? Can't you guys trust me?"

Father looks stern, and Hanabi apologizes reluctantly.

Mother sighs. "Even if it did before, it won't anymore."

"Why not?" Hanabi demands. "Hinata, what do _you_ think?"

Hinata shares a look with Neji – what is it with all the unspoken words in this family? – and offers a sad smile. "I really appreciate that you're trying, Hana, but I think it's better if we all accepted my fate."

"So you're just giving up? Just like that?"

"I'm sorry, Hana."

"No – no – what's wrong with all of you!" Hanabi is on the verge of a tantrum again.

Neji stands up abruptly. "Hanabi, please follow me. I have some holy beads that will help calm you down."

"I don't _need_ your stupid holy beads!"

"Hanabi, listen to your cousin," Father orders. "It's time you grow up."

Reluctantly, she follows.

In his room, Neji scribbles a message on a piece of paper, rolls it up into a scroll, and wraps a string of round wooden beads around it.

"What do I do with this," says Hanabi dully.

"Stay quiet," says Neji. "I've written a prayer for you. Please read it now and calm down."

"Fine. Whatever." Hanabi snatches the paper and the beads. When she opens the scroll, she scans the first few sentences and bites her lip.

_Hanabi,_ it reads. _This is not a prayer. Do not read this out loud. They are listening to us always. Your mother, father, Hinata, and I do not know who they are. There are some things off with this world. Reality is being rewritten every second. You must be careful of what you say. Your mother and father might have been about to go with the plan you suggested, but when you said it out loud, whoever's out there heard and altered reality. Hinata will be fine. I have a few theories on what's going to happen to her. But you must remain calm._

Hanabi breathes slowly, deeply.

"Thank you, cousin. I feel much better now."

"I find prayer and meditation to be very helpful as well."

"I've memorized what you've written. Thank you for sharing that with me. I feel absolved now."

"Anytime." Neji takes a match and lights the paper on fire. "If you wish, we could pray together one day. It could help with your tantrums."

Hanabi's pride twinges, but she forces a smile. "That'd be great. I'll need your help."

* * *

**Ω**

It is the day of the autumnal equinox. While everyone else is at the festivities, Hinata is getting ready with the Hyuuga servants. The village elders make her take a long bath and pour sweet-fragranced oil in her hair. Then, she is dressed like a bride. Her eyes are lined with kohl, her skin is administered with powder, and her lips are tinged red. Her life is out of her hands now, Hinata realizes. But she has said all her goodbyes and looks forward to the future.

At dusk, the entire village stands in the square, among the cherry blossoms and pomegranates and oaks, and watches as Hinata is led, blindfolded, out to the balcony in the main traditional building of the council. One of the council members holds a thin sleek knife.

The wind suddenly picks up. Hanabi reaches for her mother's hand. The sky is darkening rapidly; even with previous sacrifices, they have never seen the clouds gather so quickly.

"Gods," he bellows as the wind picks up, "I beseech you to give our village another year of prosperity! My townspeople, let us all pray together!"

There is a moment of silence except for the whistling wind and the beginning whisper of raindrops. Most people have their eyes closed, Hanabi notices. Even Neji, Father, and Mother. Some disobedient children look around curiously. For many of them, it's the first ritual they're allowed to witness.

"And now, the sacrifice!"

The council member plunges the knife into Hinata's heart. Some of the kids start crying. Hanabi squeezes her eyes close. All she can hear now are her sister's screams.

* * *

_chapter one fin_


	2. Cycle II

**A/N:** Relationship development will take time.

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle II**

* * *

A knife plunges into her chest, and for a moment, Hinata feels betrayed by Neji, by Hanabi, by her clan, by her entire village. She hoped that something would have been different, that the person who was controlling reality would have spared her. But the pain is shockingly real, and her heart beats around the knife for a few moments before the councilman twists the blade out. The blood spurts out from the gash in her chest and stains her dress. There's a terrible, terrible screaming, and it takes her a while to realize that it's ripping from her own throat. Her vision blurs slowly; soon, all she is aware of is her dim pulse echoing in her mind.

Then, all fades white.

…

…

The whiteness… is comfortable.

…

It's almost as if she's floating in this whiteness.

…

Almost.

…

Is she lying down or is she standing up? She can't tell.

…

…

And though it's a strange feeling, for some reason, she can't help but feel that the _whiteness is a room_…

…

…

Something nudges her awake.

"Itachi, it's another one."

Her eyes stir open. There's a pale slipper near her face.

"Another?" A sigh. "The storm was supposed to be foreboding. Aren't humans supposed to be good at reading signs?"

"You should send a clearer message."

"How are howling winds and needle-like rain not a clear message?"

"Clearer then. Humans are stupid." The owner of the slipper squats down and looks at her. His eyes are pitch-black. "Oh, she's awake."

"Bring her up. Might as well find a place for her."

The gods are real? Hinata wonders dizzily. Two hands help her up, and she stumbles to her feet. When she looks down, the bloodstain is still on her dress, but her wound is gone.

Looking around, she sees a boy with elegant features on her left who observes with a vaguely bored expression. In front, there is a man who resembles him and whose features are sharper and more defined. He at least looks a little bit curious, his cheek leaning against his fist from his spot on an ebony throne.

"They sent such a young girl this time," he tuts. "How brutal."

"Are you going to make her a servant this time?" asks the boy at her side. "I might need someone to polish my shoes."

"You already have eight servants for that," the man says amusedly.

The boy shrugs. "Wouldn't hurt to have another. Though it's getting kind of annoying having to keep track of all of them."

"Um," Hinata interjects. She falters slightly at the sudden attention, then continues, "Is this… the afterlife?"

"Of sorts. My name is Itachi. That's my younger brother Sasuke. And you are?"

"My name is Hinata. Hinata Hyuuga."

"Welcome, Hinata, to the Uchiha Palace. Though, I'm sorry to say that you weren't exactly welcome in the first place."

"Er, sorry?"

"No, no, it's not really your fault. I can't imagine you wanted to be murdered in front of your friends and family like that. Goddamn mortals don't get the hint that we're getting full here."

Hinata bites her lip. So if there were gods…

"Just curious, but," Hinata pauses as she tries to phrase this in a way that doesn't make her sound crazy, "have you ever heard my cousin Neji and me talking about pomegranates?"

"Can't say I have," says Itachi blandly. "We immortals don't look at the mortal world all the time, you know. We have our own tasks to take care of."

"Oh," says Hinata. She tries again. "So then… what do you guys actually do?"

Itachi chuckles. "What a straightforward girl."

Hinata flushes. That must have sounded ungrateful. She hopes they won't strike lightning down on her village or anything like that.

"Er, sorry, I didn't mean for that to have sounded rude—"

Sasuke huffs impateintly. "The Uchihas send rain. The other families do other things. The Inuzakas and Aburames take care of the wildlife; the Uzumakis, sunshine; and so on."

"And… that's it?"

"Sorry, was that not powerful enough for you?" Sasuke drawls.

"It's not that," says Hinata, shaking her head. "What about… putting things that weren't originally there? Or taking things away?"

There's a charged pause in the air. The brothers' eyes narrow on her.

"No god can do that," says Sasuke. "It's pointless asking."

"You mortals have forgetful memories," Itachi reasons. "You probably just forgot you put that object somewhere else."

"I see," says Hinata simply, though she can't help but wonder if there's something that they're not telling her. "I apologize for making a commotion of it."

"Mm," says Itachi neutrally, observing her with renewed interest. "I think I know the perfect spot for you here."

"Itachi," Sasuke bristles. "You can't be serious. _Her?_"

"Why not," says Itachi with a small smile. "Hinata, you can get settled for today. Tomorrow, you'll begin your new duties as a helper in the Celestial Archives. Sasuke, make sure to _thoroughly_ go over the rules."

"I don't have time for this," mutters Sasuke. "Can't I pass her over to Sakura?"

"You know why you can't," says Itachi sternly. They share a long look before Sasuke finally gives in and grumbles, "Fine. You, come along. I'll give you the grand tour."

Hinata winces at his sarcasm but does as she is told.

The halls of the palace are grand in a way Hinata has never seen before. As they exit what she assumes was the throne room, they cross an outside corridor lined with stretching columns and made of weathered stone, and ascends a long granite staircase with no railings that seems to lead higher and higher into the clouds. When Hinata peeks over the steps, she sees that the Uchiha palace too lies ensconced in a giant cloud.

"If you fall, I'm not going to catch you."

Hinata startles and squeaks. She almost loses her balance.

"It's just so – so amazing," she remarks honestly. "I wasn't sure the gods actually existed, but seeing it all now…"

"You'll get used to it," Sasuke mutters. A dark expression clouds his face. "You mortals and your inane customs – how old are you?"

"Almost thirteen."

"Hm. So I'm still older."

"How old are you?" Hinata asks to be polite.

"Thirteen." He almost sounds… triumphant.

Hinata's jaw drops. "Aren't gods supposed to be much older?"

"This body is thirteen," Sasuke clarifies. "Have you ever heard about the legend of the phoenix?"

Hinata nods.

"Immortals age like regular humans. And when we're old and about ready to die, we burn up and are reborn elsewhere."

By now, they've reached the top of the staircase. Hinata gasps. Above the fog, the sky is teeming with floating castles, palaces, and temples all connected by thin silvery paths like threads. The buildings are an eclectic mishmash of different architectural styles from all over the world.

"Stop gaping."

"It's as if I've entered a storybook…" Hinata says dreamily. Hanabi would have loved this place. Thinking about her family suddenly takes away much of the glimmer of her new surroundings. She wonders how they're doing, and if she's truly dead or if she's dreaming something strange and marvelous while in a coma.

"Come on. We don't have time for this." Sasuke grabs her upper arm and hoists her along the edge of the road. Before Hinata can so much as squeak a syllable, he steps off the path, and they're suddenly floating up higher and higher.

"Wh – what—"

"Walking takes too long."

They approach a mass of giant cylindrical towers with gleaming white walls and golden domed roofs all linked by marble bridges.

"These are the Celestial Archives."

* * *

**Ω**

"You called for me, your grace?" Sakura bows her head.

"You may rise," says Itachi, observing his fingernails nonchalantly. "We have a new inhabitant in the palace."

"I see. Where is he? Or she? If I may ask." Sakura stretches her neck as she looks around the room.

"I sent her with Sasuke to the Celestial Archives. We needed a new helper there, you see."

Sakura's eyes narrow. "Are you sure, your grace? The last time I checked, we had enough helpers."

Itachi subtly shakes his head and glowers. "She has a keen mind. She will greatly assist in whatever we require of her."

The pink-haired girl clenches her fists worriedly. Usually, she trusts Itachi's opinions on matters like this, but for him to trust a stranger so suddenly…

"Please do not worry, Sakura. If you'd like, I will introduce you to her later."

"I would appreciate that, your grace."

"For now, please get her quarters ready. You are dismissed."

Sakura bows again and exits the throne room into a narrow servants' hall from the corner by Itachi's throne. As she ascends a spiraling flight of stairs, she clamps down on the front of her apron with sweaty hands. Lately, she's been getting better at knowing when she's being watched, and it always makes her nervous.

When she finally enters an unused room in the servants' hall, she fingers a vial of colorless liquid hidden in her sleeve and tucks it into a corner of an empty wardrobe. She hopes she knows what Itachi is doing because the girl will never know what hit her.

* * *

**Ω**

The bodies of sacrifices are usually thrown into the lake, but Hiashi Hyuuga has pulled enough strings to ensure a proper burial for his daughter. On the day of Hinata's funeral, the Hyuugas dress in somber black capes and veils and make their way to the traditional burial site. Their sorrow is kept quiet. There are no angry sobs, no fainting relatives. Even Hanabi's grief is contained within trembling fists, though not for long, if she can help it.

Hinata's casket is left open. Her face is somehow serene in death, though it had been twisted in horror and anguish when the councilmember stabbed her chest. She is dressed in traditional robes with the Hyuuga clan symbol stitched above her right breast. Any trace of a wound in her chest has been disguised well.

Right before they are about to close the lid of the casket, Hanabi breaks down. It will be her last tantrum, she vows. Then, she must grow up.

But for now, she unleashes her pain in a furious scream and flings herself to Hinata's side. She clasps her sister's limp hand and strokes her bloodless cheek. Neji and one of the priests try to pull her away. Hanabi clings stubbornly.

"Hanabi, let go," Neji growls through gritted teeth. "Don't be such a child. It's too late."

Hanabi suddenly turns on her cousin. She buries her face in his stomach, grabs the corner of his jacket, and tugs hard.

"Neji, will you bring her back?" Her wailing is muffled. She slips a lock of Hinata's hair into his jacket pocket. "Neji, don't you love her too?"

Hanabi's mother steps forward and gently pries her daughter from a bewildered Neji's arms.

"Hush, sweetie," she says comfortingly. "You know what Hinata would have wanted."

Hanabi bites her lip angrily but keeps her protests inside. Hinata would have wanted her death to have meant something. If Neji can find a way to get that lock of hair to Ino and confirm their suspicions once and for all…

The priest gently closes the lid of the casket. Every turn of the key in the lock grates on Hanabi's nerves. She glowers at it all.

Don't worry, Hinata, she thinks determinedly. We'll find out what's going on. The people who manipulated all of us to your death will pay.

* * *

_chapter two fin_


	3. Cycle III

**A/N: **Had this chapter ready for a while but couldn't upload until today. Enjoy!

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle III**

* * *

Sunlight streams in from seemingly everywhere, from the tall stretching windows on the walls and from the arrays of skylights built into the dome. An eclectic mix of leather-bound books and aged scrolls fills bookshelves that reach so high that Hinata feels dizzy when she looks up. The six giant chandeliers – an enormous one in the middle and five slightly smaller ones around it – are unlit but still add to the ambience of grandeur and brilliance.

As they pass row after row of bookshelves, Hinata's eyes grow wider and wider until they are twin disks of pale-eyed wonder. Sasuke tries not to snort at her expression. Mortals' reactions are so ridiculous sometimes.

"And this is only one of the Archives?" she breathes.

"Four others left," says Sasuke drily. "You have a lot to learn."

"I'll only get lost here," Hinata protests. "I'll need at least a week – no, a month, to know the ins and outs of this place."

"Calm down, Hyuuga. I'm only here to teach you the basics," says Sasuke, glancing at his fingernails detachedly. "The Sand siblings will show you the specifics. They're busy on an errand for the next few days though, so you'll have to do some exploring yourself."

Hinata panics a little. "B – but I don't know how everything is organized! What if I mess up the order of things?"

"You won't have to categorize anything just yet." At Hinata's bewildered expression, he adds, "You'll see what I mean as we go along. Hurry up! You mortals are so slow."

Hinata toddles after him like a gosling following its grumpy mother. They climb a staircase that splits in the middle halfway to opposite directions. Sasuke takes the left path.

"Each of the Archives is designed to house certain records," Sasuke explains. "This one holds all the decrees and decisions the gods have ever made. Declarations of war, blessings on favored mortals, and even temple expansion decrees – they're all here."

"That's… incredible."

They reach the top of the stairs near the ceiling where the dome begins. When Hinata looks down, she squeaks. Everything is so high, and there never seem to be railings on any of the stairs. She tries very hard not to wobble.

There's a giant set of crystal doors on the wall in front of them. Sasuke turns the gilded knob and exits on to a precarious looking bridge made of ropes woven from gossamer threads that make intricate patterns along the netted walkway. It's beautiful and airy but also suspiciously thin.

"The bridge connects this Archive to the next," Sasuke says. He lifts an eyebrow when Hinata doesn't follow.

"C – can that hold both of us?" she asks in a high-pitched voice.

"We'll have to see," says Sasuke, smirking. He's enjoying her terror!

Hinata takes a deep breath and steps forward, closing the door behind her and clutching on to the knob for dear life as her feet sink into the plush surface of the bridge. Sasuke is already halfway across and striding forward with brisk confident steps. She gathers her courage and pushes onward, concentrating on the doors of the Second Archive in front of her and not the slightly wobbling bridge below. Her forehead has broken out in a light sweat by the time she's made her way across.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asks half-mockingly.

Hinata wonders if it'd be unwise to kick an immortal being in the shin.

"What's this Archive for?" she asks, trying to change the topic and keep her frustration inside.

According to Sasuke, the Second Archive houses all the records that pertain to the relations between the gods; the Third all the relations between the gods and the mortals; the Fourth all the relations between the gods and their servants; and the Fifth all the philosophical works on the phoenix and the concept of the afterlife.

As they climb higher and higher, Sasuke points out the various features of each Archive and answers her questions thoroughly, and occasionally sarcastically. Every time they have to cross a bridge to the next Archive, Hinata does so in a squabble of a run, though she glares at the immortal ruefully when he laughs.

"You look like a crazy chicken," he says with a blank face but a trace of humor in his voice.

Hinata keeps her mouth pressed in a firm line. She briefly wonders how he knows what chickens look like. Do they eat chickens up here? Are there chicken farms in the afterlife?

She shakes her head. She's getting dizzy from the height. Concentrate.

When they reach the Fifth Archive, Sasuke motions her to the southern curve of the building and points out the window.

Hinata gasps. From here, she can see all the other Archives below.

"They're positioned like the first loop of a spiral," she says softly.

The Second Archive is above, up, and right to the First Archive. The Third is above, up, and left to the Second. The Fourth is above, down, and left to the Third; leaving the Fifth to be above, down, and right to the Fourth, positioned right above the First and Third Archives.

And if she looks straight down, to the space of cloud in the middle of the Archives, of the spiral, there is a strange marking etched in the cloud. She squints. It's strangely familiar. It's a bunch of weird squiggly lines, and it resembles… ancient runes?

Then, her eyes widen in realization. She turns to Sasuke, who has his index finger to his lips and is gazing at her sternly.

_Stay silent._

"It seems we've come to the heart of the matter," he says quietly, dangerously, and Hinata takes a few tottering steps back at the strange gleam in his eyes. "My brother seems to think you'd make an excellent helper in the Archives. I'm not sure why he thinks you'd be any valuable addition, but I suspect it's because of your keen eyes."

"I – I—"

"Now that you've seen the Archives, I'll tell you how it works here. Every god or goddess has a small claim on the Archives – these records belong to everyone. Nevertheless, the Naras are the ones who have the most power here. They allow the Uchihas and certain other clans to send assistants here. As of now, you work here, and you represent the Uchiha stake of the Archives. Do you understand? One wrong move and my brother will have to suffer for your mistake."

He's trying to intimidate her. His eyes are darker and redder than usual. Hinata bites her lip. It's not going to work.

She forces herself to stop trembling. In a way, it's sort of easy to, considering how similar he looks right now to Neji and Hanabi when they're ready to defend the Hyuugas. The three of them share the same steely look, the same posture - relaxed and loose, but ready to strike any moment. It's... comforting.

"I'll do my best," she promises sincerely.

"Tch. You'll need more than your best," he says, but he seems satisfied, for the moment. "For the next few days, until the Sand siblings return, your task is to get yourself familiar with certain records from all over the Archives. Sakura will give you the list later."

Hinata nods her understanding. She wants to ask about the symbol etched in the center of spiral, but something in her gut tells her that it's not the right time for _those_ kinds of questions yet. From what she knows so far, something's not right, even among the gods. She thinks back to the instance with Neji and the pomegranates.

She blanches. If even the gods are helpless, does her family stand a chance?

* * *

**Ω**

_It's not her_, the message reads. Hanabi struggles to keep her face composed as she reads. Neji sits cross-legged in front of her, his serene composure the epitome of a boy who has come to terms with the gods and is now at peace. His acting is a bit too good, she thinks enviously.

_It's not her. Ino's confirmed it with Sai. It wasn't human hair. It was something synthetic._

Hanabi's blood seems to freeze. She continues reading.

_I've thought about it, and there are two possibilities: Either the priests never gave us Hinata's real body or Hinata's body doesn't exist anymore. It'll be extremely difficult to prove the second one, so I'm planning on joining the priesthood to gain access to the chambers the rest of us aren't able to visit. The clan knows of my decision._

She slowly folds the paper and hands it back to Neji.

"An enlightening prayer."

Neji strikes a match and burns the scrap.

"You still look concerned, cousin. Are you sure the meditation was helpful?"

Everyone's leaving me, Hanabi thinks. She shakes her head.

"Mother and Father are still grieving Hinata's death. Will you show them your prayers too?"

The older boy smiles sadly.

"I'm afraid it won't do any good. Mother and Father seem to be losing their faith as of late. They will need more than my prayers."

Hanabi stares at him for a long moment, then sighs.

"If you say so, cousin. I overheard that you will be joining the priesthood soon," Hanabi scratches her nose, "will I be taking over some of your clan duties?"

Neji taps his chin idly.

"Not clan duties, but I would appreciate if you had daily spars with Tenten. She'll need a good partner while I'm gone."

"I see. And anything else?"

"Hm. Every so often, I would like to bring flowers to Hinata's grave. I can't leave the temple during my training though."

"So you need me to bring you some. I can do that. From Ino, right?"

"Of course. Her family's flowers are the best," says Neji, a small smirk crossing his face before disappearing in half a second. "And one more thing: be cautious around the likes of Sai. He's religiously amoral."

"I'll do my best," Hanabi replies, scratching her nose again. Neji hums in assent, tapping his chin.

As she exits the room, she feels a slight tingle down her spine. All the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She's being watched, she realizes. Scrutinized. When she casually looks around, no one is in the hall with her.

Hanabi forces her expression to remain neutral as she crosses the hall to bid her parents good night.

* * *

**Ω**

"Yo, teme."

Sasuke's eye twitches at the voice. When he turns, Naruto is perched on the wide sill of the foyer window of the Uchiha Palace. There's an annoying grin on his face again.

"So I heard the mortals sent another one up here," the blonde continues. "Weren't you supposed to give them a warning or something?"

"Mortals," Sasuke says, pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly, "are idiots."

"Itachi told me that you guys are letting her work the Archives. Are you sure that's the best idea?" When Sasuke continues walking across the foyer, Naruto agilely leaps off the sill and follows him.

"It wasn't my idea," Sasuke says through gritted teeth. "That idiot just decided on his own."

"So who is he? Or she? Is the mortal capable?"

"I don't know," the raven-haired boy says tonelessly. "She starts the job tomorrow."

"A _girl_!" Naruto's grin grows sly. "Is she cute?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, _you don't know_? It's a yes or no question – don't tell me you're too shy to say anything."

"I'm not being _shy_. I just don't know."

"Ehhhhh—"

"Dobe, if you're that curious, ask Sakura to introduce you. She should be showing the mortal the way around the palace right now."

When they've exited the foyer and entered the study, they see Itachi hunched over a giant desk with sprawling papers and several empty inkwells. He scribbles furiously. The older boy pauses and looks up when he hears the sound of footsteps, blinks rapidly for a moment, then smiles. There's a blotch of ink on his chin.

"I swear this place was spotless when I left yesterday," Naruto mutters under his breath.

Itachi's smile grows apologetic. "I got started without you two, as you can see." He gestures to the mess around him.

"Means less work for us," Sasuke replies with a shrug, grabbing the nearest pen and seating himself at a clear desk. "How far have you gotten?"

"Far enough to test a few of our suspicions. It's confirmed."

There's a significant, almost crazed gleam in his eyes, and the two younger boys know immediately what the older Uchiha is going to say before he does when he leans in and whispers, "We're being tracked… and they know we know."

* * *

_chapter three fin_


	4. Cycle IV

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, subscribed, and favorited! I'm still trying to develop a good pace for this story, so please bear with me!

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle IV**

* * *

**Ω**

Sakura's first impression of Hinata Hyuuga is that the girl looks a little creepy. No, seriously. It seems neither Itachi nor Sasuke had any sense to get her out of the bloodstained clothes that she was _sacrificed_ in, for goodness' sake, and now that it's accumulated a bunch of silver and gold celestial dust on its hems after her outing to the Archives, coupled with her pale eyes and dark hair – well, the girl could pass as an eerie phantom out of a horror novel.

The pink-haired girl forces a smile. She hoped that Itachi would have chosen someone who was a little less conspicuous.

"Hi," Sakura says cheerily, "Hinata, right? I'm Sakura. I'm basically the housekeeper of this place – I make sure the food is stocked, the inventories are full, and the other servants aren't slacking off."

"That seems like a huge job," says the indigo-haired girl in a surprisingly soft voice.

"It is," admits Sakura, "and gods know that I'm severely underpaid, but the Uchiha brothers can't run without me for a day, I swear. They're surprisingly useless for omnipotent beings."

Hinata looks startled. "Is – is it okay if you say things like that?"

"Why?" challenges Sakura with a sudden sharkish grin. "Are you planning on telling them?"

"N – no, b – bu – but—"

"I was joking," Sakura says, shaking her head. At the girl's perplexed face, she adds, "Don't worry, Hinata, I'm not out to get you."

But someone else might be, she thinks wryly.

As she gives the mortal girl a tour of the palace, she observes Hinata's hesitant movements, the passive angle of her head, and her uncertain footsteps. Is Itachi playing a joke? All the members of their team are aggressive, strong, sometimes even cunning (though, the last adjective definitely didn't apply to Naruto). Hinata is. Well, Hinata is just. Not that.

Unless she's hiding a secret sociopathic side, she looks totally harmless.

When they get to Hinata's room, Sakura shuts the door and casually stands in front of it, blocking the way out. Hinata's eyes shift from Sakura's hand on the knob to her green eyes. She blanches. White eyes search for another escape route, darting to the window before returning to meet her feet.

So, the girl is sort of observant. Big deal. What else?

"Let's talk, Hinata."

"A – about what?"

"Tell me about yourself. What was life like at home?"

The girl is obviously anxious. As she stutters about her family and her village, she bumps her pointer fingers together in a nervous tic that bothers Sakura more than the pink-haired girl lets it show. Nonetheless, Sakura makes sure to ask questions at the right pauses and to offer an encouraging smile, though her hand is still on the doorknob, a subtle reminder that Hinata will not be able to escape easily if she wanted to.

From what Sakura can tell, Hinata had a stifling childhood under the thumb of an overprotective family. She doesn't seem like a noble – at least, not the way Naruto, Itachi, and Sasuke are. They're proud and confident, and Hinata is. Well. Not that.

Sakura bites her lip. It seems she can't help comparing the new girl to the rest of the team so often because it's still hard to understand why, _why_, why this one? There have been plenty of sacrifices in previous years – they're all just working as servants somewhere in the palace now. So why her? And why now? Is Itachi close to a discovery? What is going on that the boys won't tell her?

"Um, Sakura? Are you okay?"

Sakura snaps out of it. She unclenches her hand. There's an indentation in the doorknob.

"Sorry about that. I was – distracted."

"It's fine," Hinata says with a small smile. Gods, this girl was so _gentle_. She's only going to get crushed if she stays with them.

"If you don't mind me asking," Hinata continues, "could you tell me more about this… place?"

Sakura blinks. "What do you mean?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm still not sure where I am, exactly. I don't know if I'm actually dead or not, and I don't know what's happening to me and the others around me. I don't know what my family is doing, and I don't – I don't think I can go back, so – so, if I can, I want to stop… worrying."

But your worries have only begun, Sakura thinks sullenly.

"It's no problem. All the others have asked similar questions as well. They're all scattered around the palace, if you're wondering. Itachi usually makes them dust the dressers or rearrange the potted plants or something – busy work, typically, because gods don't really _need_ that many servants. They're more like decorations. Or trophies to show off to visiting gods."

"O – oh." Hinata looks vaguely disappointed.

"I said typically. Itachi assigned you to the Archives, didn't he? That's an important job. From what I've heard, it isn't easy."

Strangely enough, the white-eyed girl relaxes a little, pleased that – what? That she wasn't useless?

Sakura understands now. That kind of attitude… genuinely kind, complacent, willing to please… she would be the perfect tool. Itachi must have seen that immediately.

"Look at you, you must be exhausted," Sakura says worryingly. "Before I explain anything else, you need to change into the outfit that's in your wardrobe. Baths are usually taken in the mornings, so just do your best to wash up at the basin for now. When you're done, just call my name. I'll tell you everything then."

Hinata nods with a gratified smile, looking so guileless that Sakura's guilt goes up several notches as she exits the room.

* * *

**Ω**

The door shuts softly behind Sakura. Hinata decides to take the time to observe her assigned quarters more carefully.

The room is practically bare compared to her room back in her village. There is a plain cedar dresser in the corner, a medium-sized bed across it, a small table with empty drawers, and a door that leads to a closet-sized bathroom. The room is lit by a floating orb of light at the middle of the ceiling, which dims slightly when Hinata either approaches the bathroom or her bed.

Hinata does her best to scrub away every last ounce of dust that has accumulated on her face, neck, elbows, and ankles. She noticed earlier that although the glittery substance made Sasuke's complexion brighter, it only made her skin tone look cloudier and uneven. Perhaps it was just a godly thing?

Hinata opens the dresser. The first thing she notices is a strange smell. It's heavy, bittersweet, and cloying, like incense. As Hinata pulls on her new garments, her senses grow foggier and foggier. It's even becoming difficult to think straight.

She spots the reflection of glass in the corner of the wardrobe. The strong smell seems to come from the open vial there. Hinata tries to reach for it, but her fingers miss and accidentally knock the vial over, spilling its contents, a clear liquid, over the top shelf. The smell becomes dizzyingly potent.

Hinata takes a few wobbly steps backward. Her calves bump into the bed, and her sense of balance is so impaired that she tumbles into it.

"Elp!" she calls. Her lips feel like leaden weights. Some of her syllables come out garbled."S'k'ra! Elp!"

The door opens. Sakura enters the room, accompanied by Sasuke. Their faces are blurry and doubled, but she can make out grim looks on their faces.

"Listen to me, Hinata." Sakura's voice sounds warbled, like an echo. "This is a test. If you can get out of this trap with your mind intact, you pass."

And if I don't? Hinata wants to ask, except she's lost control of her throat muscles and she can only rasp a sigh.

As if reading her mind, Sasuke says, "If you fail, you'll lose your mind. In other words, you'll be brain-dead." His voice sounds faint, tinny even.

"Please try your best, Hinata," Sakura says.

Hinata would laugh at those words if she were able to. Try her best? Her world is fading away for the second time that day. Betrayal after betrayal... for how long does she have to try to her best? And for what purpose?

* * *

**Ω**

Itachi leans against the wall nonchalantly. Naruto sits next to him, playing a game of hide and seek with some marbles and one of his pet toads. They both look so unconcerned that Sakura can't help the surge of anger that rises in her chest. She clenches her fists.

"It's been _hours_," she hisses. "Sasuke has had her mind caught in one of his traps for _hours_. What's taking so long?"

"I admit it's abnormal," Itachi murmurs. There's a slight, barely noticeable crease between his eyebrows. "Sasuke is usually done testing the target's mind within half an hour at most. The only reason it would take so long is if the target's state of mind has a high level of mutability and tolerance to mental infiltration…"

"Which means?" Naruto asks, plucking a marble out of his pocket away from the toad's reach.

"It means," Itachi says with a sigh, "that there's a mental, possibly psychological, battle going on in there."

Sakura takes a sharp breath. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Probably." Itachi shrugs.

"Relax, Sakura!" Naruto exclaims. "Stop pacing so much. If the girl is strong enough, she'll make it through."

Sakura grits her teeth. "That's exactly the problem. It's _if_, not when. She was innoc—"

A grisly, anguished scream interrupts her words. The hairs on the back of her neck rise.

"Is that—"

"Sasuke!"

Itachi tears the door open. Hinata is curled up in a ball on the bed, and Sasuke is in the same position on the floor beside her. They're both shaking violently.

It's the first time Sakura has seen Sasuke look so vulnerable and hurt. His eyes are squeezed shut, and his normally stoic face is scrunched up in obvious pain. It sends unpleasant shivers down her spine.

Itachi approaches the boy, closing his eyes and putting a hand on Sasuke's sweaty forehead. Within moments, the screams cease and the room is silent.

"Wh – what's going on?"

When they look up, Hinata is sitting upright on the bed. Her white eyes are wide and terrified.

Across from her, Itachi glares. Naruto is tense, as if ready for a fight.

Sakura glances down at the unconscious figure of the younger god, then back at Hinata's pale form in her new black servant's robes.

It seems her first impression of the girl couldn't have been more correct. Hinata Hyuuga is fucking creepy.

* * *

_chapter four fin_


	5. Cycle V

**A/N: **I debated using honorifics in this story and eventually decided not to for the sake of consistency among the AUs that will appear in later chapters.

Anyway, thanks for the support, and hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle V**

* * *

_Hinata would laugh at those words if she were able to. Try her best? Her world is fading away for the second time that day. Betrayal after betrayal... for how long does she have to try to her best? And for what purpose?_

…

…

Surprisingly dark thoughts.

…

Sasuke feels physical repulsion for a moment, as if he's trying to push two magnets of the same polarity together, except the magnet here is his mind…

…

He finally makes it through and lands.

Every mind has its own unique layout, but the telltale signs of fresh emotional scars in the form of murky whispering shadows are aplenty here. One particularly sinister shadow crawls past him with knobby gray fingers, groaning and sobbing as it leaves behind a path of yellowed shriveled grass.

Sasuke observes the area with mild interest. Mortal minds tend to be more vivid than immortal minds, for some reason, and this one is no exception. A starlit garden littered with ruins – the pieces of rubble shine like the moon; the collapsed columns, arches, and roofs sing eerily and beautifully when the wind goes by; and the thick long grass smells sweet and fresh with dew. Except for the shadows that watch him from all around him, he would say that the mindscape was one of the strangest, most peculiar and alien, he has ever encountered.

Well, enough observation. There's a task he has to get to, one that must be finished as quickly as possible. Itachi did, after all, warn him about the dangers of lingering in someone else's mind for too long.

He finds a patch of glowing moonflowers that seems to be doing a good job in warding off the shadows – a pool of dreams or resolutions, most likely – and sits in it. After making himself comfortable, he closes his eyes and waits, and when his focus is strong enough, he begins.

He follows the thread of a memory floating around in the air with his mind until he is at the core of her thoughts and most of her emotions and memories are at his disposal for manipulation. It's undoubtedly unethical, even for gods, but Sasuke feels little remorse; this breach of privacy is simply the most efficient way of either confirming she's strong enough or weeding her out before she gets in too deep.

But before he can actually begin manipulating the physical features of the mindscape, his shoulder is jerked roughly down. Sasuke's eyes snap open. He turns – the mortal girl is glaring at him defiantly, though her fingers tremble against her will. A cool breeze blows by, and the nearby ruins sing eerily again.

"Hyuuga," he acknowledges while hiding his surprise. "What are you doing?"

"I c – could ask the same of you. This is _my_ mind."

A keen self-awareness. That might complicate some issues – for one, how can he know if she passes the test if the test can't be administered in the first place?

Though it should be fine. Manipulation is his forte.

"Your mind? Can you prove it?"

Hinata chews her lip in thought. "Well, no… but there's no other explanation."

"What if this is _my_ mind?"

Hinata shakes her head. "No, that can't be. Sakura said you were going to test me, which means you have to test my mind."

"How can you be sure? It'd be easier to test you in my mind than in yours. I'd have full control there."

"How – how do I know you don't have full control of my mind either? You're supposed to be a god…"

Sasuke bristles. _Supposed to be?_ She's probably have had doubts of their omnipotence ever since she saw the runes at the Archives, and granted, the gods aren't actually capable of doing everything possible; but he's still immortal and she's not. That, at least, deserves some respect.

Fine. If this is how she's going to play…

"If this was your mind, and I could have full control of your mind, don't you think the test would have begun by now?"

Hinata pauses at this. Then, "But the test hasn't begun. And we're still arguing. Meaning that you don't have full control whether this is your mind or mine."

Well, damn. Sasuke quickly concocts a new plan. "And how do you know the test hasn't begun yet?"

The girl stiffens and looks around. "But… nothing is happening."

"I'm not so sure about that. Do you see the shadows in the grass?"

Hinata looks around again. "No…"

"Don't lie. Don't you see them crawling around us?"

She hesitates and squints at her surroundings. Her voice is calm and sincere when she says, "I still don't see anything…"

His new plan shrivels up immediately. Sasuke wants to yell in frustration. This isn't going at all as he planned. There are too many variables he miscalculated, like how observant she is and how quickly she became aware of his presence in her mind. And the only reason these variables have gotten out of hand is because no target has ever resisted like this before – and what's weirder yet is that she can't see any of the toxic shadows in her own mind.

He racks his brain. Tries to remember if Itachi mentioned any case like this before.

Nothing. Nothing at all. This has never happened before, and Sasuke needs to get out of this girl's mind before anything else unpredictable occurs.

This is unorthodox but…

"You pass."

Hinata blinks. "I do?"

"Yes. You pass. I'm out. This is getting way too weird—"

But before Sasuke can even try to disrupt the mental link, the shadows, as if trying to prevent his escape, amass into one giant ashy smear on the ground, and swarm right under the moonflowers that they're sitting on. All of a sudden, they're both sinking as if the soil is made of quicksand.

"Wh – what's going on? I thought the test was over!"

"It's – supposed – to be," Sasuke mutters through gritted teeth. He tries to sever the godly link, but the connection remains taut, unbroken. Something's not letting him escape. Something? Whatever's out there isn't so sophisticated to have any control directly inside someone's mind, if Itachi's theory is correct. The only _possible_ thing that can be holding on is…

No way. Seriously? Can this mortal be any more annoying?

"Let go," Sasuke commands. Their waists are enveloped in shadow. He wonders if she can see it now.

"Of what?"

"_You know what._ Let go of my mind!"

"I'm not doing anything!" She looks at him helplessly, frightened.

"Yes, you are! Look, we're both going to end up somewhere probably dangerous if you don't – let – go!"

Hinata squeezes her eyes shut. "I'm trying. I'm trying."

"Try harder!"

"I – I don't know what to do! I'm doing all that I can."

"For gods' sake, Hyuuga, _let—_"

His lips sink into the ground. He can do nothing as the girl in front of him squirms around and searches for a connection that she probably can't find, Sasuke cedes, because he's hidden it just so damn well. But if she was aware of it in the first place, shouldn't she be able to find it just as easily?

His vision is swarmed by gray as he continues to rack his mind for possible explanations. The shadows feel cold and slimy to the touch…

…

…

…

…

…

_It's not me._

What? What are you doing here?

_It's not me holding on._

This shouldn't be possible. I never should have said yes to this.

_Please listen to me._

Itachi, you idiot, I'm going to kill you.

_Please listen. I don't think that place was my_ _mind._

What are you talking about? If you're saying that was mine, I know what my own mind looks like, thank you very much.

_No, I didn't mean that. Sasuke, I think you – you must have forged a connection or something—_

**What?**

_Those shadows you mentioned – I couldn't see them until they were pulling me in. I don't think they were mine._

Hold on one moment—

_I think they were yours. I think, somehow, when you invaded my mind, you embedded a portion of yours with it._

That's ridiculous. That's not possible. Why would I?

_How else can you explain this?_

I don't know. Maybe mortal minds have gotten even more messed up since the last time I've done this.

_Please be more rational._

Look at all this. You think any of this is rational?

_I – I won't have an argument about mortality and rationality here. Sasuke, _you_ have to let go._

I've tried. I can't.

_Then… we're stuck._

Gee, really? We're somewhere in a gray chasm, somehow able to communicate to each other for who knows how long, and you notice we're _stuck?_

_I – I don't appreciate your sarcasm._

Wow. You seem to have grown a backbone now.

…

Hey.

…

You still there?

…

Hyuuga.

…

Hyuuga. Answer me.

_I—I'm so sorry, Sasuke._

What are you talking about? What took so long to reply?

_I feel like I violated your privacy. Your shadows – th – they showed me something – a memory, I think._

…like what?

_I – I can't say. It's too... I can't. I don't think even you know of it._

That doesn't make sense at all. If it's my mind, I should know.

_No, no, it's… different._

So you're the expert now. Huh.

_I didn't ask you to bring me here._

Yeah, well, I regret it too.

_I'm sorry, but I think I know how to get us out of here._

Why are you sorry?

_It might not work. And it might be uncomfortable._

What do you mean? And how do you know this?

…

What, did my frigging _shadows_ show you the answer too?

…

I don't know if you know this, but a god doesn't have _shadows._ We're immune to them. Perks of the job.

…

Hyuuga, where the hell—

…

…

…

…

…

There's excruciating pain. That's all he knows. This is what pain must feel like to a mortal, he dimly realizes. It feels like his body has been set aflame and someone is trying to gouge out his eyes with a shard of glass, digging into his brain with unrestrained gusto.

And then it's over. It fades away like wisps of smoke, and he can finally drift into sweet untouched slumber.

* * *

_chapter five fin_


	6. Cycle VI

**A/N:** Sorry this update took so long! Exams took away a lot of writing time, but I plan on churning out updates at a faster pace the next few weeks. Also, whatever direction you thought this story was going is probably wrong, as you'll see in the next several chapters (and if you _can_ guess how it's going to go, a hundred kudos to you!).

* * *

**Unwind**

**Cycle VI**

* * *

Hinata makes her ascent to the Archives with a heavy feeling in her chest. She feels guilty and angry at the same time – guilty because Sasuke is still comatose, and angry because, well, what did they expect her to do when they're the ones who tried to poke through her mind in the first place? She's still unsure about what's going on, and ever since she _died_, ever since Neji told her about those stupid pomegranates, it seems as if all the foundations in her reality are crumbling…

Gloomy. That's what sums it up. She feels gloomy.

Itachi had glared at her in disgust as if she were a poisonous parasite. The blonde boy in the corner looked about ready to attack her if she so much as twitched, and for a moment, Sakura looked so afraid of her that Hinata felt that same horror in her own self as well.

After she gave her side of the story, they all looked a bit more intrigued, albeit still suspicious, and told her that she had passed and would go work at the Archives the next morning. They made her eat her meals alone, and when she asked questions, they either responded stiffly or ignored her completely.

Hinata bites her lip bitterly. She never asked for this, and though she tried to be optimistic about her situation in the beginning, her confidence is dwindling now. She feels homesick. She misses her family, her friends, her old life, even the villagers that turned their heads when the priests pulled her name out of the veil.

And that memory that she saw in that shadowy chasm…

She shudders. If only she hadn't seen it, because now, it feels like it's been imprinted in her mind, and she can't forget those hollow dark eyes, the motionless body curled up like a shriveled husk, the inflectionless words repeated over and over in some mindless mantra:

_Get me out, get me out, getmeout, getmeoutgetmeoutgetmeout..._

She shakes her head firmly. She has a job to do. Even though she has only a faint idea of what's going on, she can at least give her all into the few tasks that she has. This, at least, gives her current life some purpose.

The thick clouds rub off more celestial dust on her as she approaches the Archives entrance. She sneezes, toddles forward, and lingers around the door uncertainly. Should she knock? Is she allowed to just barge in?

Luckily, she doesn't have to wait too long before the doors open of their own accord, as if welcoming her in.

"So you're the new addition to our team," someone drawls from above. A boy with spiky brown hair in a ponytail sits with back hunched on top of a bookshelf.

"Hello," Hinata says uncertainly. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga."

"Shikamaru Nara," the boy responds.

Ah, a Nara. He must be in the charge of the Archives then.

He raises an eyebrow. "So you're the troublemaker."

Hinata's face colors. "I – I never meant any harm."

"Hm."

When the boy doesn't say anything else, Hinata asks, "Um, do you have a task for me? Sakura was supposed to give me a list of books and scrolls to familiarize myself with but…"

She doesn't need to finish her sentence. Shikamaru nods understandingly and leaps off the bookshelf, landing lightly on his feet.

"Sakura gave the list to me this morning." A piece of paper materializes in his hand. "Luckily for you, I gathered them already."

"Thank you."

"No, you won't be thanking me." He snaps his fingers, and a heavy thump resounds in the library as dozens of thick tomes and a pile of tightly bound scrolls land on the nearest table.

She gives a small cry of dismay. "Am – am I supposed to finish _all_ of this today?"

"I have no idea. But knowing the Uchihas – you might want to get started _now_."

The girl presses her lips into a thin line and approaches the table warily. She has always been a quick reader but this… this might make her brain explode.

"If you need anything, just shout." Then, he disappears, leaving her alone with the mountain of words.

…

…

After several hours of poring through the texts, Hinata cannot help but doze in and out. Her mind is foggy; all the information stuffed in her head about symbology and cartography and theoretical physics floats around in her head into a mishmash of absurd laws and corollaries. Through the haze, she vaguely recalls a white room of beautiful peace and silence… so unlike that gray chasm with all those terrible images… where had they come from anyway? Were they really a part of Sasuke's memories? The more she thinks about it, the more unlikely it seems that a god, of all beings, could know about such a thing…

"Hinata?"

The pale-eyed girl flinches awake immediately. The blonde boy from yesterday towers over her in her seat. He wears a grin that borders on feral.

"I – I'm sorry I fell asleep – I know I wasn't supposed to, but there was just so much—" Hinata flaps a hand at the pile of half-read books and scrolls, and her voice dies down to a squeak at the unreadable expression on his face.

There is an awkward pause.

"I guess I haven't introduced myself yet," the blonde says, seeming to ignore her predicament about the information she was supposed to read. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"The Uzumakis… ah, your clan is in charge of sunshine, right?"

When he gives her another strange look, she says quickly, "Or maybe not. Erm, let's see, Itachi said the Aburames and Inazukas were supposed to be wildlife, so, um—"

She startles when Naruto laughs loudly.

"No, you were right. It's been so long since anyone charged my clan with that that I'd forgotten about it." His voice is half-bitter, though he offers a more pleasant smile.

"How could it have been so long? The mortal world never stops receiving sunshine…"

"The gods' relationship with the mortals doesn't work like that," Naruto explains. "The mortal world can run by itself, without the help of the gods. It's only when some of us want to or need to interfere that we involve ourselves with mortal affairs."

Hinata takes in the new information with alarm.

"My entire village worships the gods. They make sacrifices for them and spend their time to pray to them. Does that mean that all of it…"

"That most of it was a waste? Probably." At her downcast face, his molded cast of a smile softens slightly. "Some gods like the attention. Others don't. The ones that don't typically try to warn the mortals against devoting their lives, but often, the signs get mixed up."

"That's what must have happened with my village," Hinata mutters. "Itachi mentioned something about trying to prevent them from making another sacrifice. The winds were a warning."

"From what I've heard, yeah." Naruto takes the seat next to her. "But that's not what I came here to talk to you about."

Hinata ducks her head, ashamed. "I'm sorry I couldn't finish reading—"

"No, not about that either." He chuckles dryly. "Itachi tasked me with telling you about our mission."

Ah. The mission. The one she's a part of now that she passed, ever since she somehow proved herself, in ways she can't even begin to comprehend, and now they're asking what – what exactly of her?

"Please tell me everything," she says, making herself comfortable in her seat.

Naruto procures a pen from thin air and twirls it idly as he speaks. "Itachi tells me you've noticed it too. Reality is bending in ways they shouldn't be bent. These changes are usually covered up well by whatever's doing this, but there are some loopholes that we've discovered in the past few months."

He stops twirling the pen and sets it on the oak desk.

"Watch."

A small blue ball of fire hovers over his palm like a lantern. He brings his hand near the pen. Nothing happens at first, but after a while, the shape of the object warps and flickers between its original colors and a strange shade of metallic silver.

"In high heat, every object goes through this transformation."

The pen slowly flattens out and curls into the shape of a rune-like figure. Hinata stares at it with her mouth agape.

"How are you sure it's not celestial powers that are doing this?" she asks.

"We're sure it's not. Sakura's tried it too, and she doesn't have an ounce of godly blood in her. I let her borrow some of the Uzumaki fire for a night, and she reported the same results. And not only that – look at the pen again."

Naruto squeezes the fire out into his fist. The silvery rune shape unfolds into its original form, and color seems to magically bleed into the object again.

"I – I admit that this isn't normal," says Hinata, pensively staring at the pen. "Well, it doesn't feel normal. But what I don't understand is _how_ we feel this. Um, how do I say this – it doesn't feel right, but how do we know it isn't just a law of the world?"

Naruto nods grimly. "That's a good point. We don't know. Or, well, we didn't. The past few months, ever since the team was created, we've just been looking out for things that don't feel right. You know, in case it means the heavens are getting unstable."

He looks around the domed space before he turns back to her and leans forward. Hinata's cheeks, much to the girl's dismay, erupt in a deep blush.

"But a few weeks ago," he continues in a hushed voice, unaware of her discomfort, "someone made contact with Itachi."

Personal space forgotten, Hinata stares at him incredulously. "Someone like… an alien?"

"What? No. Gods, no." The blonde shakes his head fiercely. "Not an alien. But close enough, in my opinion."

"Who is he? What does he want?"

"He said his name is Deidara. We don't know his intentions, but Itachi has a few ideas. Never mind that for now – this Deidara guy is crazy. I wouldn't have believed him if he didn't mention a few things about us that no one else is supposed to know."

"Believed what? What did he say?" Hinata chews her lip impatiently.

"He said that in forty moons – so, seventeen from today – the worlds are going to collapse."

A beat. And then:

"_What?_"

"Yeah, I know. Crazy, right?"

"Th - that's insane!" Hinata wrings her hands in frustration. "How? Why? On whose whim?"

"We don't know. But the plan is to find out." Naruto takes one of her hands and places the pen in it. "That's where you come in. Itachi thinks you've got something in you that can help us out. Will you do it?"

Hinata sighs heavily. "... Are you guys really giving me a choice?"

"No." He smiles apologetically. "But I have a feeling you want to help us anyway."

"If the world is ending? Of course." Hinata examines the pen in her hand wonderingly. "I'll do my best."

"You're going to need more than that. Come on, you can ditch the books for now." He stands up and tugs her wrist.

"Wh - where are we going?"

"To the veil. I think you need some motivation."

Hinata lets out a confused squeak as they leap from the Archive doors and glide toward a building made entirely of glass.

* * *

_chapter six fin_


	7. Cycle VII

**Unwind**

**Cycle VII**

* * *

"The usual?" Ino's mother smiles kindly at the young Hyuuga.

"Yes please." Hanabi's face is as blank as always.

Ino gathers a bundle of their freshest sunflowers and tenderly gives it to Hanabi, whose lips don't even twitch as she places her coins on the counter and completes the transfer.

"Poor girl," says Ino's mother sadly as Hanabi stiffly exits the shop. Ino agrees. The Hyuuga lost her sister only a few days ago, and now, Neji's pulled her into some crazy plot to discover an omnipotent being or something. Genius or no, who does that to a seven-year-old? And why aren't her parents cracking down on her behavior? Did she always have this much freedom when Hinata was still alive?

Ino shakes her head as she goes on her rounds to water the flowers.

Enough of _that_ mess. She has her own problems to think about. Lately, Sai has been straying from the path that will grant him charity from the gods. He's been bouncing atheistic theory after theory when they're hanging out together, and it's driving Ino insane hearing him act so nonchalant about his fate. What if the gods want to teach him a lesson, and _his_ name is pulled out of the veil next time?

And not only that – all of her friends have been sneaking behind the priests' backs, testing this and that, trying to manipulate the manipulator, if there be any, and for what? Why are they risking their lives for something that's probably out of their control? It just doesn't make sense.

Deep in thought, Ino accidentally drowns a chrysanthemum bush in too much water. Her mother hurries over and tuts, reclaiming the watering can with pursed lips.

"Sorry, Mom," mutters Ino.

"It's fine. Go on and play. I'll finish this."

Ino trudges toward the door for a few steps before she becomes conscious of her ungraceful slouch and adjusts her posture accordingly. If she's going to become the wife of a noble, she needs to attract the eyes of one first. Anyone would be fine, though preferably someone good-looking and not too old or too mean. Anyone, as long as her parents don't have to soil their hands for a living anymore, her mother with her garden and her father with their crops.

She meets Sai and Tenten at the usual place. The "training field" – though to be honest, it's more of a muddy ditch than anything – is particularly marshy today. Her tattered sandals sink into the ground. The earth clings to her soles with every step.

"Ino," Sai greets. "I have a new theory to tell you."

"Save it," says Tenten warningly. "She probably doesn't want to hear it."

Ino gives Tenten a grateful look. The latter nods in reply and continues playing with her knives.

"Why would she not want to hear it? I think it is pretty solid this time."

Tenten rolls her eyes and deigns no reply.

"Is Hanabi coming today?" Ino asks, changing the subject. "I saw her earlier at the shop."

"Probably," says Tenten. "Neji says the squirt should be practicing with me every day."

"That Neji," Ino says in a partially resentful voice. "Hanabi looks miserable. Why is he making her do this too?"

"I do not think she is entirely miserable," says Sai as he tries to climb the nearest tree with a thick book under his arm. "To me, she seems… motivated."

"Motivated?" Ino scoffs, scanning the place for a dry spot to sit on. "Hinata just died. We're all still grieving. How can anyone be motivated?"

"Actually, I think Sai is right this time," inputs Tenten. She aims her knives at the trunk of the tree Sai is climbing. "Neji is… well, Neji is special. He can see things a lot of people can't. He must have told Hanabi something that's driving her forward."

Ino crosses her arms. "You're only saying that because you like the long-haired nutcase."

Tenten's aim goes awry, and a knife narrowly misses Sai's calf. The boy turns and says, "Please do not," at the same time Tenten shrieks, "I do _not—_"

"Hello."

Hanabi stands at the far end of the field, waving half-heartedly.

"Hi," says Tenten in a voice that comes out half an octave higher. "Did you hear…?"

"I'll say I didn't," the Hyuuga responds with a slight mechanical smile. "I came to spar."

"Oh." Tenten blinks, still trying to gauge the girl's reaction. "Um, with or without knives?"

Ino sniggers, and the older girl throws her a dirty look.

"Without," Hanabi responds tonelessly.

Ino has always thought that the characteristic Hyuuga eyes looked soft and innocent on Hinata's face, and stoic and controlled on Neji's. But on Hanabi, the pale irises are like the stillness of the tundra in the mountains that surround their village. They make her look cold and empty, silent and lifeless.

_Poor girl_, Ino thinks again as she pulls out the knife that nearly embedded itself in Sai's leg.

"Hanabi, I have a new theory to tell you." Sai's voice comes from overhead.

"Shut it," Ino snaps.

* * *

**Ω**

It was getting harder and harder to determine what's real and what's not. Hinata thought she was getting pretty good at it – picking out the hazy threads that indicated this was a dream and that wasn't, this was the mortal world, and that wasn't, this was supposed to be here but that wasn't, and so on – but when she entered the tower with the veil from the balcony window, Naruto's hand securely nestled under her arm, she felt a sudden wave of vertigo pulling her closer to the burgundy tiled floor.

"Whoa, you okay?" Naruto asked, steadying her. Hinata could only shake her head and desperately wish that her nausea would fade before her sick ended up on the blonde's sandaled feet.

"Maybe I should have waited a week," he said guiltily. "Itachi said to, since you're not accustomed to this world, supposed to be something in the air or whatever – do you want to sit down?"

Hinata nodded and hobbled towards the wall, squatting down and holding her head right above her knees.

She's used to the spinning feeling now though. Mostly. She can't approach the pulsing crystal on display in the center of the room, but she can breathe comfortably here; and that's all that matters.

"What is this place?" she asks.

"The veil," says Naruto unhelpfully. At the tiny pucker of her eyebrows, he laughs and continues, "That crystal, over there, is like a looking glass into the mortal world. Whenever we want to see what they're up to, we use it.

"I brought you here because you seemed really - uh, sad, so I thought, maybe if you were able to see your family, you'd be, you know, more motivated."

Hinata smiles, surprised and flattered. It's the kindest thing anyone has done for her since she arrived here.

"Thank you," she says genuinely.

"It's no problem." Naruto looks sheepish. "But since you can't really see them right now, I'll take you back in a week."

"I'd like that," she says quietly, averting her eyes to her shoes. "Could we stay here a little longer? I… I don't want to go back to the Uchiha Palace."

"Eh? I'm fine with that, but why don't you like it there? From what Sakura tells me, it's considered a privilege to live there."

"Perhaps it's me being ungrateful," says Hinata, "but everything is so cold."

"Hm. Maybe it's just not homey enough."

"Yeah." Hinata smiles again. "It's just that."

"So then, what place do you miss the most?" Naruto asks. When Hinata peeks at his face, he looks genuinely curious.

Hinata thinks. She misses plenty of places, like her bedroom or her mother's garden or the villager kids' training field. She misses the quiet streets at night, when she and Neji took their walks. There are memories of quiet, dusty corners in libraries and tea shops that make her want to cry a little out of longing. She misses even the dark damp attic that the Hyuugas try to avoid, even the elders, because of an old legend about a widower's ghost with a temper and a penchant for knocking over heavy stacks of things.

But when it comes down to it…

"The outskirts of the village," Hinata says, staring at her hands in her lap as she explains. "My village is nestled in a valley. No one except for the hermit lives beyond the upward slope of the mountains because it is difficult to survive up there.

"My friends and I used to play there all the time. Sometimes, my little sister would come and watch. She always seemed like she wanted to join us, but she would hold back, even when we invited her." Hinata's eyes soften. "Hanabi's such a contradictory girl. She wants one thing, but says the opposite, and is just as stubborn as my father and my cousin Neji."

"You must really miss her."

"I do." Hinata just barely hides the telltale gleam in her eyes. "Thank you – again, for trying to help me see her and the rest of my village."

"Really, it's not a big deal." The blonde looks embarrassed again. "We should get back soon though. I think Itachi has an announcement tonight."

"Yeah." Hinata sighs. "I suppose we should."

The flight back passes much more quickly than Hinata would have liked. The shadows cast by the Uchiha Palace in the backdrop of a lavender twilight sky are regal and magnificent, but she finds it difficult to enjoy the beauty as the familiar feeling of dread and guilt pools into Hinata's stomach as she steps into the main halls. She wonders if Sasuke has woken up yet. Does everyone still hate her? Fear her?

"Welcome back." Itachi's voice is inflectionless; his face, impassive. "Did you finish reading your assigned load?"

He sounds like one of my strict tutors, Hinata thinks sourly.

"I – I couldn't finish."

"Hm. That's disappointing." He doesn't look disappointed, but there's a tension in the air that sets both Hinata and Naruto, beside her, on edge.

"I'll cut to the chase." Itachi steeples his fingers. "Deidara offered a deal. He'll tell us all the information we need. And in return—" He makes a sweeping gesture to his surroundings.

"He wants the palace?" Naruto asks incredulously.

"Immortality. In other words, my throne." An almost bitter smile creeps to his face. "And Sasuke's as well. It will be the end of the reign of the Uchihas."

Naruto's jaw drops. "_Will_ be? So you've accepted it, then?"

"Yes." Itachi raises a thumb to the corner of his lips, as if to dab at imaginary spittle. Naruto's eyes narrow at the gesture. "The exchange is set for the following week, the night of the full moon."

Hinata glances at the changing expressions on the blonde's face as it goes from confusion to understanding to triumph. Itachi's, on the other hand, remains icy, though his eyes seem to glitter when Naruto takes a shaky breath and says, "What do you want us to do?"

"Hinata and Sasuke will greet Deidara and escort him here. Naruto, you will stay here and continue with performing the Uzumaki clan's duties. Sakura will help me prepare the palace for the ceremony."

Naruto speaks the question hanging on Hinata's lips. "How can Sasuke help if he's still—"

"He awoke this afternoon and is currently resting in his chambers. He and Sakura both know what must be done." They trade significant looks, more expressions that Hinata can barely interpret. She chews her lip worriedly. Itachi wants her to work with Sasuke again? How can he trust her after what just happened? It's only been a day, and even if Itachi wouldn't hold a grudge, Sasuke most definitely would…

Enough. Enough of the secrecy and the lies. All it's done is hurt everyone involved. Why can't they be more straight-forward? If the world is going to end in seventeen days, they might as well try to speak honestly, right?

Hinata takes a hesitant step forward and clears her throat.

"P – please tell me what's going on."

"I don't know if you were paying attention, but that's what I'm doing," Itachi deadpans. "Would you like me to repeat what I've said?"

She winces. Okay, she could have worded that better.

She tries again. "Please tell me what you're not telling me."

Naruto puts a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata—"

"Let her continue," Itachi says, the ghost of an amused smirk playing in the corners of his lips. For some reason, it irks Hinata more than anything in the past few days has irked her before – more than her death, her circumstances, her fate, anything.

"Tell me, or I'm not going to follow your orders." Never mind that she told Naruto back at the Archives that she didn't have a choice. Right now, she's making one; as she catches the darkening glint in Itachi's eyes, she hopes it's not going to bite her back in the future.

* * *

_chapter seven fin_


	8. Cycle VIII

**Unwind**

**Cycle VIII**

* * *

Beyond the floating palaces, towers, and chateaus, there is a broad expanse of cloud that is known to the gods as the Divine Strip. The roads are marshy in places, unlike the paths between the homes of the gods, which are firmer and have considerably more celestial dust. The shrubs and trees that scatter the Strip are blooming with tiny jeweled fruits and flowers — though, without the gods' blessings, they glitter savagely in the sunlight, almost malevolently.

Sasuke waits, sitting crouched on the bough of a crabapple tree with diamond and pearl flowers. Itachi and the mortal are supposed to be here soon — Itachi, because for whatever inane reason, he wants to send them off when they depart, and Hinata, because aforementioned inane brother wants them to go together. It's definitely not ideal, but Sasuke is willing to handle the mortal on a brief journey if it means Itachi can finally get the upper hand in this mess.

Finally, he sees them in the distance. Two dark-haired pale-faced figures climbing up the last ribbon of a path that leads into the Strip, one tall and broad-shouldered, the other short and of a meeker stature.

Surprisingly, the Hyuuga looks serene next to Itachi. From what Naruto had told him last night, Sasuke expected her to at least cower a little next to his brother. No big deal though. There's going to be a lot of time for interrogation on their journey.

When the Hyuuga and Itachi reach their designated meeting place, the girl looks surprised by the general flatness of the Strip and the profuse of shimmering plants. Then, she looks perplexed, obviously wondering where her mission partner went. Itachi glances up the tree and gives Sasuke a bored glance.

Sasuke agilely leaps down, landing right next to the girl, who gives a small surprised, "Oh!" and takes a few steps back.

"Let's go," Sasuke says, heaving his pack over his shoulder and putting his hands in his pockets.

"Not so fast, Sasuke." Itachi smiles wanly. "There's something I have to tell the both of you before you leave."

"Couldn't you have told us before when we were back at the Palace?" Sasuke grumbles under his breath, but he stops in his tracks nevertheless.

"That would have given you too much time to get ready." Itachi's smile grows apologetic.

Immediately, Sasuke is on the alert. "Ready for what?" He eyes his surroundings and flexes his fingers experimentally. The Hyuuga, a few steps away, also looks tense, though her eyes are focused on her shoes. She doesn't look surprised at all.

_She knows what's coming._

"Nothing too drastic. You're being paranoid, little brother." Itachi chuckles. "But don't relax yet. I haven't told you entirely what the mission entails. You needed your respite yesterday."

"You told me enough. Escort the Deidara guy, hide him from whatever god, godling, or nymph we see in our path. Bring him back so you guys can complete that deal."

"Yes, except for one, hm, minor detail."

Sasuke narrows his eyes. "Which is?"

"I want you to get the secrets out of him first. In other words, bring back his corpse."

Sasuke might have tripped if he were still walking. "You want _what_?"

"I don't have the time to deal with him. Do you really think I'm going to risk our thrones?"

"Of course not! I thought you had a plan."

"Well, this is the plan." Itachi dabs the corner of his lips with his thumb.

Sasuke still doesn't understand. The dabbing is supposed to indicate the opposite of what was just said, but at the moment, the secret gesture is too ambiguous to give him any clue on what's really going on. Whatever convoluted plan Itachi is plotting, Sasuke doesn't want to spend the time to figure it out. He'll just have to wing it. Itachi has probably taken this into account anyway.

"…Sure." Sasuke nods once at the mortal. "Let's move."

Light footsteps totter after him.

Itachi calls, "Good luck," and Sasuke responds with a grunt without looking back.

* * *

**Ω**

"H — how is your health?"

Sasuke glances at the girl huffing and puffing behind him. She's doing her best to keep up, but it's been over an hour and it's obvious she's lagging. That pisses him off, for some reason.

"Do you mean my physical health?" His voice turns sardonic. "Or my mental health, after you took over my mind and shut it down?"

The Hyuuga winces. Sasuke faces forward again, satisfied.

"It wouldn't have been that way if you didn't try to do the same to mine first," she grumbles under her breath.

He abruptly halts. "What did you say?"

The girl hesitates. Surprisingly, she plows on. "I said, if you hadn't tried to violate my mind, maybe that rebound wouldn't have happened."

Sasuke turns around to face her. Her chin is tilted up defiantly, but her hands tremble, visible even through her long baggy sleeves. Around them, the wind stirs the jeweled fruits to a soft tinkle, like chimes.

"What don't you get about the world ending in a little over two weeks? We need to know who can be useful, and more importantly, who can be _trusted_. And right now, I doubt you fit in either."

Her eyes are wide and filled with hurt. Good.

"Why do you hate me?" Oh _great_, is she going to cry? "What have I done — you don't even know anything about me —" She rubs her eyes with her sleeve.

Sasuke sighs. "I don't hate you."

"Wh — what?"

"You're a mortal. I'm indifferent to you." Okay, sort of a lie, but whatever.

"That doesn't explain—"

"Why I'm so rude? Deal with it. That's how I am."

"That doesn't explain why you don't trust me. Your brother trusts me, Naruto trusts me, I'm not sure about Sakura, but I think she trusts me as well…"

"And?"

"And, I, I thought—"

Her eye twitches when he interrupts her again, "You thought that I'd be the same as them."

"You're on the same side, so yes. At least when it comes to trust."

"Fat chance, princess." Sasuke turns and begins walking again. "Do you think the Uchihas were always in charge of the rain? That we were born gods? In our previous lives, we worked our way up, Itachi and I, and do you know how we survived?" He flicks a knife open and closed absentmindedly. "We protected each other's backs. That means, everyone he trusts, I have to double-check and triple-check they're clean."

He doesn't hear her tottering along. When he turns his head, she's still standing in the same spot, but with her head lowered. Her bangs hide most of her face.

"What? You give up?"

She shakes her head but still doesn't look up.

"I'm sorry. I just suddenly remembered my sister Hanabi…"

Ugh, sounds like it's going to be sappy. "Alright, alright. Let's move. We have a schedule to follow."

"Ah — right." She paces after him.

After a few minutes of silence, Sasuke can't control his curiosity. "So why did you ask that in the first place?"

"I'm sorry?"

"When you asked how my health was. Were you trying to be polite and fill the silence with empty words, or did you actually feel sorry for me? Be careful now. I'm good at telling when people are lying."

She flushes. "…Neither. I wanted to know if you remembered anything, b — by any chance."

He raises an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to?"

"Um, never mind. Please forget I brought it up."

"No, tell me. What am I supposed to remember?"

She's quiet for a while. "I can't say. I'm sorry."

"You still wonder why I don't trust you?"

She bows her head. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever." Still, he wants to know. Something he's supposed to remember? She probably meant after the whole mind breaking ordeal. When he woke up from his forced slumber, all he could hear at first was a reverberating beeping noise, rhythmic and for some reason, unpleasant.

He had thought it was just a side effect, nothing too serious, but in the past several days, there have been several abnormal things that were all _very_ serious. Perhaps it's too risky for silence and pride. After all, he can always show the mortal who's who later.

"Hyuuga—"

"Wh—what's that?"

Sasuke lifts his eyes from the mortal to the horizon. In the distance, there's a collection of glowing lights above the cloud strip, all twinkling simultaneously to an erratic rhythm. Some of them flit through the trees, making the jewels clank and jingle louder. He grimaces.

"Wind sprites. They're natural tricksters. Annoying as hell, but not too bad to deal with, if we play our cards right."

"Can't we fly over them?"

"Gods can't fly on the Strip. The celestial dust blocks all vision more than a few meters up. Why else do you think we travel like this?"

As they approach the lights, they can hear the sprites' voices – as if someone has amassed a few dozen tuning forks and rang them at different frequencies. They're whispering and giggling. Some of them sound mocking.

"All right, listen close. No matter what, you have to pretend they aren't there. They might pull on your hair or spit at your face, but it's crucial you don't react. Don't make eye contact, don't sigh deeply. Just keep walking. If they try to block you all at once, just run into them and keep your legs moving. Got it?"

"Y—yeah." She sounds apprehensive, but when he turns his head, she looks oddly determined.

Up close, the sprites look like little pixies emanating orbs of light, like fireflies.

She better not think they're cute or wonderful or anything, he prays bitterly. They're a pain to get rid of.

Fortunately, the mortal is a good listener and, surprisingly, a good actress. From the corner of his eye, he sees the sprites chattering loudly in her ear, enough so that _he_ almost winces; and lightly scratches her face with their needle like claws.

The Hyuuga keeps walking, not bothering to wipe the bead of blood rising on her cheek. Good at following directions, at least. That's sort of a plus, though on what scale, Sasuke doesn't know.

The sprites continue to bother them, giving Sasuke the same treatment and taking care to bite his fingers and knuckles. Their teeth and nails are no match for immortal flesh, but they're still as irritating as a swarm of flies.

The sprites amass together and try to trip the Hyuuga. She calmly walks over the obstacle and continues with those sized steps, as if she had meant to walk at that pace in the first place.

They're almost past the nest when a group of sprites in front of them glow intensely, until their bodies are no longer visible, and show what must be a mirage. It's of a girl with similar features as the Hyuuga – the same eyes, nose, and chin but with different colored hair and of a shorter height – and she's hanging, eyes half-lidded, face purple, from a noose.

They're both caught off-guard. Hinata, because she isn't ready to see the image of what was probably someone she was close to in that state. Sasuke, because he isn't ready to see something the sprites shouldn't be capable of.

She gives a startled cry. He bristles. Immediately, the sprites trill in triumph and dive in for the attack. Sasuke seizes Hinata's arm, the owner of which has gone still in shock, and rises into the air. Within seconds, the celestial dust overwhelms. Sasuke keeps moving in whatever direction seems like forward, all the while twisting and flailing at the few sprites that have managed to grab a hold of their ankles. The rest screeches, just as blinded by the celestial dust as he is.

Beside him, the mortal starts coughing violently. Right, she needs to breathe.

He glides back down toward the surface of the Strip, all the while hacking around his legs and shoes with a knife from his belt.

Hinata is wheezing and pale. Sasuke fishes for a small vial of healing water and slips a few drops past her cracked lips. When the wheezes cease, and the color returns to her face, and she rasps out a, "Thank you," Sasuke cranes his neck to take a look around.

They've gone off the path, that's for sure.

He rummages through his pack for a compass, a map, a scrap of parchment, and a pen. He scrawls:

_No longer on the road. Sprites. May be delayed by a few hours to a day, depending on how far we've strayed. –Sasuke_

And blows the piece of paper into the air, where the celestial dust will deliver his message to Itachi.

Then, he examines the map. There aren't any obvious landmarks in the area that can help him discern where he is exactly on the Strip, but the sun is setting and the stars should be out soon. Navigating by observing the constellations should be a breeze.

The thing is, what bothers Sasuke the most isn't that they've gone off the path. That kind of contingency was well prepared for. No, what really bothers him is how the sprites were able to draw from the Hyuuga's memories and produce a mirage, a tragic possibility, in the first place. Sprites shouldn't be - _aren't_ \- gifted with that sort of mental outreach, not usually.

Something has changed. They'll have to ask Deidara about it when they get the chance.

He turns to the mortal, who is sitting up and staring at something in the distance detachedly. Probably still in trauma from seeing that girl in that state, Sasuke thinks, and for some reason, this strikes a flame of empathy in him. He quickly tries to douse it out.

"We need to get moving when the stars come out." He hesitates, then adds, "Be ready by then."

She gives a curt nod, once, breaking eye contact with the horizon and staring suddenly at her sandaled feet.

"I think," her voice falters, and she tries again. "I think you deserve to know what I saw."

She's not talking about the mirage, Sasuke realizes belatedly. She's talking about what she saw in his head. He squints.

"Why did you change your mind?"

"I love Hanabi. She's my sister. To see her like that – we were always worried that she would never fit in because of her genius, like Neji – and Neji was – once, he—" She's beginning to hyperventilate and pauses to take a deep breath. She tries again. "It's not my secret to keep. You deserve to know."

She sounds absolutely sincere. Sasuke crouches, pinches a bit of cloud from the Strip, and watches it dissolve at his fingertips. He sighs.

"So, then. Tell me."

* * *

_chapter eight fin_


End file.
